An Israeli court on Tuesday extended the detention of foreign activists Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Kishk, who were on board the “Resilience Flotilla” heading to Gaza, until Sunday, according to the human rights center that represents them, at a time when the two activists have continued their hunger strike for six days in protest against their detention. Their lawyers considered that the decision aims to "instill fear and push activists to refrain from participating in such fleets in the future."

Published on: 05/05/2026 - 20:06

An Israeli court on Tuesday issued an order to detain foreign activists Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Kishk, who were on board the “Resilience Flotilla” heading to Gaza, until Sunday, according to the human rights center that represents them.

About 175 activists of different nationalities were arrested on Thursday on board about 20 ships belonging to the flotilla that aims to break the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, where humanitarian access remains severely restricted. The arrest operations took place off the Greek island of Crete, hundreds of kilometers from Gaza, much farther from the Israeli coast than previous fleet interceptions.

Israel took most of the activists to Crete, where they were disembarked after reaching an agreement with the Greek authorities, with the exception of Brazilian Thiago Avila and Spaniard Saif Abu Kishk.

Read also: Israel arrests two activists from the “Resilience Fleet” and transfers them to its territory for investigation

Details of the extension and continuation of “illegal” procedures

Abu Kishk and Avila appeared before a court in Ashkelon on Sunday, which extended their detention for two days. Maryam Azem, international advocacy coordinator at the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel (Adalah), told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, “The court approved (the prosecution’s request) to extend their detention until Sunday morning.”

Lawyer Hadeel Abu Saleh from the Adalah Center confirmed the extension and noted that the judge justified it by “the police’s need to complete additional investigative steps and other tasks while the activists remain in detention.” She considered that "the court granted the police what they requested and gave them the green light to continue this illegal procedure."

During Tuesday's session, the two activists appeared with handcuffs on their legs, according to what a journalist from Agence France-Presse reported.

Abu Saleh considered this “an attempt to criminalize any solidarity with the Palestinian people and any attempt to break the illegal siege on Gaza.” She added that her client was informed that the police were trying to link humanitarian aid to Hamas to portray it as a service to them.

International reactions and Spain renews demands for release

On Tuesday, Spain renewed its demand for the “immediate release” of activist Abi Kishek and “respect for all his rights.” As for the wife of the Brazilian activist Avila, she said that he was being detained based on suspicions only.

Lara Souza added, "The judge relied on confidential information to justify the continuation of the interrogation, yet neither he nor his lawyer were allowed to see the content of these materials," considering this a "clear violation of the right to defense."

Lawyer Abu Saleh believed that bringing them before a civil court aims to “spread fear and push activists to refrain from participating in such fleets in the future.” She confirmed that she would file an appeal against the court's decision.

Read also: European countries condemn Israel’s interception of “Global Resilience Fleet” ships carrying aid heading to Gaza

Hunger strike and accusations of mistreatment

Since their arrest six days ago, the two activists have been carrying out a hunger strike, according to the Human Rights Center. Adalah on Monday condemned the "psychological abuse and ill-treatment" to which the two activists were subjected. The center that visited the activists referred to “interrogations that last up to eight hours” at a time, death threats or threats to keep them “for 100 years in prison,” intense lighting in the cells, and permanent blindfolds outside the cell even during medical visits.

For its part, the Israeli authorities denied these accusations.

Serious charges and a challenge to the validity of the arrest

During the judicial session on Sunday, Adalah said that the prosecutor presented a list of charges against them, including “aiding the enemy during wartime, communicating with a foreign agent, belonging to a terrorist organization and providing services to it, and transferring property for the benefit of a terrorist organization.” The lawyers challenged the validity of the indictment because the activists were arrested in international waters.

For its part, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Abu Kishk and Avila are linked to the “Popular Conference of Palestinians Abroad,” a group that Washington accuses of “secretly working for the benefit” of the Hamas movement. The ministry added that Aba Kishk is a prominent member of this group, and that Avila is also linked to it and “suspected of illegal activities.”

Israel controls all entry points into the Gaza Strip, which it has been under siege since 2007. Since the start of the Gaza war, the Strip has witnessed significant shortages of basic supplies, with Israel at times preventing the entry of aid entirely.

France 24/AFP

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